The Common Council gave several big projects the green light during the meeting on Nov. 21, including the BristroPlex and other development at Brookfield Square, a 99-unit housing project and new lots for the Corridor.

The BistroPlex, a 41,000-square-foot multiplex theater to replace a portion of a development store located at 115 S. Moorland Road, at Brookfield Square, was approved.

The theater would be attached to the mall as part of the future redevelopment of the site that now has the Sears building.

Construction on the new theater is expected to begin in 2018 after Sears closes and the building is demolished.

CBL & Associates bought the Sears department store building in January. Sears, which has been closing hundreds of stores nationwide, is leasing back that space through a short-term agreement.

The city is pursuing plans to develop a conference center, attached to a hotel, near Brookfield Square. The conference center would be built on the site of the stand-alone former Sears Automotive Center, which closed in May.

The council approved an access agreement for sigma to complete a due diligence investigation of the Sears Tire and Battery property located at 115 S. Moorland Road. The motion carried 12 - 2 with Ald. Christopher Blackburn and Ald. Jerry Mellone casting the dissenting votes.

Mellone asked if the property in question would be purchased by Convention Visitor's Bureau. Dan Ertl, director of community development, said this was part of the continued due diligence on part of the city to explore the details of the environmental concerns associated with the Sears Tire and Battery property. Ertl said the city might purchase the property eventually.

Blackburn was opposed to the plan. He said if the hotelier wants to operate a conference center it they should pay for it and it shouldn't be put on the taxpayers.

"If it is for their (hotelier) benefit and improves the profitability of their hotel, I think all the costs should be borne by them," Blackburn said.

The Artisan

The council approved the request to amend the planned development district (PDD) established for 15905 Wisconsin Ave., Lot 6 of Fountain Square.

The 3.38 acre site is located at the southeast corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Main Street to construct a multiple-family residential building with underground parking. The project, known as The Artisa, consists of 99 dwelling units.

The amendment would adjust the building and parking setbacks and legal description and the parking offset listed in the PDD-Specific Plan and Development Agreement.

The building and parking setbacks along Wisconsin Avenue and Main Street are supposed to be a minimum of 25 feet consistent with the PDD specific plan and development agreement for the project versus 30 feet. Also, the agreement for the project would be amended to set a minimum 10-foot parking offset to the south lot line of the site.

Blackburn said the city has zoning for a good reason; which is to have a consistent ordinance. Furthermore, it is to give investors an idea of what they can expect when they buy a property in the community. Blackburn said this is one of many examples where they got a planned development district on a piece of property that is not a district.

The Council approved a preliminary survey map and final certified survey map creating three lots located south of Golf Parkway for the construction of office buildings and placing the Ruby buildings on a separate lot. The Corridor is a mixed-use development located north of Interstate 94, south of Bluemound Rd., west of Calhoun Road.

The Corridor mixed-use development, in Brookfield, could be getting two hotels.(Photo: Kahler Slater)